Effect of Free Chlorine Oxidation on the Deposition Kinetics of Bacteriophage MS2 on a Silica Surface

Abstract

Understanding the transport kinetics of water contaminates such as pathogenic viruses around solid surfaces is important in controlling groundwater contaminant plumes and optimizing contaminant removal in sand filtration units. The effect of increasing oxidative stress, in the form of small doses of free chlorine, on the deposition behavior of bacteriophage MS2 onto a silica surface was examined using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). MS2 deposition rates were analyzed by reaction time and inactivation level. A statistically significant increase in the deposition rate was identified between MS2 test solutions not exposed to free chlorine and most test solutions that were exposed. However, as exposure to free chlorine was increased, no relationship was able to be deduced from the collected deposition data. Potential explanations based on previous work were discussed. Observations also indicated that more comprehensive purification procedures in comparison to previous studies were necessary to obtain accurate QCM-D data.